I know there is no possible reason you would want to drive around with your car being less visible, but if like me you sit sometimes with the ignition on but don't want the Drls lit up draining the battery I've found how to switch them on and off.

Just move the headlight switch to in between the 0 and the sidelight position as shown in pic below.

I always switch my sidelights on. Habit from my years of driving lol

Exactly mate, and I'm not advising people switch them off and drive around.

But sometimes sitting on the rank etc I want the ignition on to control windows or have fans on low to demist if it's raining etc, can save a bit of battery drain by turning them off.

Good find.

As far as I'm concerned, every reduction in the number of lit DRLs in the world is a wholly positive thing.

Think you can also disable them by using the left hand Stalk.

 

It should tell you in the Handbook

I can't find anything in the handbook about disabling them, there is a post on here for earlier models of the rapid showing a switch in the fuse box for them. But skoda apear to have removed that (along with the bloody engine cover) from the 2014 onwards models.

Page 59 of the hand book under lights and vision

 

Can also be done under settings/lights on the car set up on the radio or via the left hand stalk

You must have a different handbook to me, cos page 59 in mine is about the ashtray.

Page 42 is about the Drls, but it says the only way to turn them off is to remove the fuse (number 17) that is also listed as controlling the radio.

I don't have a Rapid I have a  Octavia MKIII Vrs. I just downloaded the Handbook

 

I looked at this one

 

http://ws.skoda-auto.com/OwnersManualService/Data/en/Rapid_NH/05-2015/Manual/Rapid/A05_Rapid_OwnersManual.pdf

Good find.

As far as I'm concerned, every reduction in the number of lit DRLs in the world is a wholly positive thing.

I'm with you on this. I drive with dipped on all the time so I have tail lights too.

I see enough ****wits driving in pouring rain or other poor visibility conditions with no lights on at all. There is a reason lights on all the time is law in numerous countries.

I'm with you on this. I drive with dipped on all the time so I have tail lights too.

I see enough ****wits driving in pouring rain or other poor visibility conditions with no lights on at all. There is a reason lights on all the time is law in numerous countries.

 

Which is why I got the dealer to activate the rear lights when just the DRL’s are on.

Which is why I got the dealer to activate the rear lights when just the DRL’s are on.

 

i did exactly the same thing

I'm with you on this. I drive with dipped on all the time so I have tail lights too.

I see enough ****wits driving in pouring rain or other poor visibility conditions with no lights on at all. There is a reason lights on all the time is law in numerous countries.

However, there is no reason for the DRLs to be on when the engine is off.

I removed fuse 17 yesterday, thanks, but no thanks. If visibility is low I always turn my low beam on anyway.

I removed fuse 17 yesterday, thanks, but no thanks. If visibility is low I always turn my low beam on anyway.

 

 

 

I think you have misunderstood the point of DRL’s.. they are so you can be seen easier by other motorists and pedestrians and not to enable you to see better.

 

Not sure about the Rapid as I have not tried it but on other VAG cars the DRL’s can be coded so they only come on when the handbrake is released.

From the 2012(?) manual linked at the top Rapid thread.

 

Switching on daylight driving lights

Turn the light switch » Fig. 18 -  » page 33 to position 0.

Deactivating daylight driving lights

› Remove the cover of the fuse box » page 157, Fuses in the dash panel.

› Press the button » Fig. 18 -  » page 33 on the right.

Activating daylight driving lights

› Remove the cover of the fuse box » page 157, Fuses in the dash panel.

› Press the button » Fig. 18 -  » page 33 on the left.

Deactivating daylight driving lights on vehicles with the START-STOP system

› Switch off the ignition.

› At the same time, pull the turn signal light lever » Fig. 21 towards the steering

wheel, push it downwards, and hold it in this position.

› Switch on the ignition - wait until the left-turn signal light flashes 4x.

› Switch off the ignition - an audible signal sounds which confirms the deactivation

of the daylight driving lights.

› Release the turn signal lever.

Activating daylight driving lights on vehicles with the START-STOP system

› Switch off the ignition.

› At the same time, pull the turn signal light lever » Fig. 21 towards the steering

wheel, push it upwards, and hold it in this position.

› Switch on the ignition - wait until the right-turn signal light flashes 4x.

› Switch off the ignition - an audible signal sounds which confirms the activation

of the daylight driving lights.

› Release the turn signal lever.

Note

The daylight driving lights will comes on when the ignition is switched on.

I think you have misunderstood the point of DRL’s.. they are so you can be seen easier by other motorists and pedestrians and not to enable you to see better.

 

Not sure about the Rapid as I have not tried it but on other VAG cars the DRL’s can be coded so they only come on when the handbrake is released.

 

Yes, I know that, but in the clear blue skies of my country DRLs are pretty pointless unless it's dawn or dusk. In fact, if sunlight is at you, you can't even tell if they're on or off...

And you cannot code it via the handbrake at the Rapid because the DRLs are controlled with a 'dumb' circuit and not with a relay.

Camelspyyder, that only applies to pre 2014 cars though, I'm on about cars from 2014 onwards.

There is no standard/factory setting or switch to turn off the Drls, and the button has been removed from the fuse box and the method with the wiper stalk does not work on later cars.

 Oh, I have a 2014 but I never tried to turn them off before - pretty sure it's in the Toledo manual as well though.

I'm gonna look into led bulbs for the drls. But as I said previously I drive with my sidelights on all the time but it will still look better for the few seconds they're on. Should be cheap enough and they're easy to change on the toledo

I think they light the bulb out warning on the dash.  Need VCDS to turn it off.

My mate owns and runs www.crazyleds.co.uk, he's sorting me some canbus friendly Cree DRL bulbs out, should have them in this week.

Little bit tricky because on the rapid they are an odd bulb, H15 iirc.

Plus they are also a dual element bulb, DRL and high beam.

Yeah that's like my exs fiesta. They're high beam and drl. If I get the led bulbs for the toledo they'll be can bus friendly

Camelspyyder, that only applies to pre 2014 cars though, I'm on about cars from 2014 onwards.

There is no standard/factory setting or switch to turn off the Drls, and the button has been removed from the fuse box and the method with the wiper stalk does not work on later cars.

 

Hi John, I have just tried the indicator stalk technique on a 2014 and it worked on the second attempt.

 

You must only let the indicator flash 4 times, no more.

Hi John, I have just tried the indicator stalk technique on a 2014 and it worked on the second attempt.

 

You must only let the indicator flash 4 times, no more.

Hmmm lol

Do you have start/stop though? I don't and I tried it loads of times today but it wouldn't work.

I do, How Strange?